I Would Like to Thank Everyone for Coming Along Tonight; I Would Also Like to Thank All

Fleet Business Partnership

Minutes of the Meeting held on Tuesday, 21 February 2012 at 6.00pm at the Function Room, Harlington Centre, Fleet

Present:

Name Representing Market. Eco. New BIDS Dev. Bus Alec Saville-Brown AMAC Business Solutions ✓ ✓ Mick Bunn Authors & Artists Craft Shop Carol Bunn Authors & Artists Craft Shop Dan Campling Brandtastic ✓ Kevin Whibley (Chairman) Captured Moment ✓ ✓ ✓ Colin Thompson CC Tiles ✓ Ben Cockram Cockrams Louise Harris Cockrams Jewellers Melanie Wardle Crookham / Fleet Directory ✓ Jeremy Perrin Entrust Insurance Services ✓ Tim Cockram Equinox Silver ✓ ✓ Hilary Craven Eversley Barn Antiques Debbie Field Field Taning Services ✓ Andrew Steele Fleet Bargain Books ✓ Alexander Recker Fleet Life / EHD ✓ Dai Pierce Fleet Town Council Bob Schofield Fleet Town Council Denis Gotel Fleet Town Council James Faulkner Gemini Hair Studios ✓ ✓ ✓ Sarah Faulkner Gemini Hair Studios ✓ ✓ ✓ Pamela Sterling Grahame Dobinson Antiques ✓ Chris Shavern Hampshire Police / Fleet Cllr Ken Crookes Hart District Council Jo Moody Kitchen Kit / Cake Kit ✓ Martin B Hunt Local Resident ✓ Mark Bryam (Treasurer) Merge Communications ✓ Sarah Anderson More Than Coffee Graham Rumsdy Nicholsons Alasdair Nuttal Nicholsons Cllr Stephen Gorys Not Stated ✓ ✓ Adam Humphreys Peto Law ✓ Louise Humphreys (Secretary) Peto Law ✓ Jane Shilling Serendipity ✓ Paul Shilling Serendipity ✓ Lisa Taylor The Word In Fleet ✓ Sarah Threadgold W C Baker and Son 36 People 27 Representations 12 11 8 0

Apologies for Absence

Approx 40 apologise and May Be attending. List can be made available on request. 1. Welcome

Kevin Whibley (KW) welcomed everyone to the first meeting of the re-launched Fleet Business Partnership (FBP). He thanked everyone for attending. He also thanked those who were unable to attend that evening’s meeting (more than 40 people in total) but who had indicated an interest in the re-launch.

2. Why bring back Fleet Business Partnership?

KW explained that FBP was originally formed in 2006 to fill the gap left by the absence of a Town Centre Manager. FBP ran the Fleet Festivities for three years and The Fleet Centenary Celebrations. It was estimated that a combined total of around 50,000 people had attended those events and that reputation had continued with the new groups running them. However, the organisation of such events took a huge toll on the few people organising them and in 2009 it was decided that FBP no longer had the resources to continue and was put on hiatus.

KW stated that the impetus for bringing back FBP was to provide a facility to empower people to speak up about what they think about Fleet and to give them a vehicle through which to act. There is also a need for people to be kept informed about what is happening in the town from a business perspective. Since the re- launch was mooted over 300 people have subscribed by email, the newly created Facebook page has 215 “likes” and the more recent Twitter feed 25 “followers”.

KW suggested the following basic principles for the existence of: 1. To promote Fleet and its retailers as a great place to shop and relax. 2. To promote Fleet to businesses as a place to set up. 3. To spread the word about Hart's FIRST position on the Best Places to Live league table. 4. To get businesses working together to cross and dual promote their services. 5. To lend a stronger voice with regard to the physical and economic development of Fleet. Those attending the meeting were in agreement with these general principles.

3. Structure

KW suggested that structure of FBP should be a small management committee comprising Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer with sub-groups being formed to deal with various issues of importance that people can join and contribute to. Each sub-group would report back to the committee, who in turn will disseminate information to all the members.

KW expressed the hope that Fleet Town Council, Hart District Council and Hampshire County Council would elect representatives to FBP. In addition, representatives from any of the Town Groups such as the Lions, the Rotary Club, the Civic Society etc. would be welcomed.

Those attending the meeting expressed agreement to the structure suggested. KW invited nominations for each of the committee roles. The following nominations were received:

Chairman Kevin Whibley Secretary Louise Humphreys Treasurer Mark Byram

Those attending the meeting agreed to the making of those appointments and the nominees were duly appointed.

4. Creation of Initial Sub-Groups

KW suggested that the following four sub-groups be initially created:

1. Marketing The FBP logos and website need updating to fit into the new era of social networking and rapid dispersal of information. In addition the marketing sub-group would address the promotion of Fleet as a great place to shop and visit, sending out positive signals everywhere people look. The sub- group would also consider cross and dual promotion between businesses to increase promotion and reduce advertising costs.

Dan Campling expressed an interest in starting things moving with this sub- group.

2. Economic Development This sub-group would focus on understanding precisely what is being planned for the future of Fleet, working closely with the Councils to ensure Fleet gets the best package on offer. Fleet should not turn its back on progress but neither should the town be left with a white elephant or a plan that gives with one hand whilst devastating areas of the Town with the other.

James Shilling expressed an interest in starting this sub-group going.

3. New Business Whilst closely linked to economic development and marketing this was separated as it is a considerable undertaking. The idea is to create a clear plan of what business units are empty in Fleet and how they are available (rent, long lease, freehold etc). The sub-group would also find out which businesses are bursting at the seams and need more space and which are looking to downsize. The sub-group would then work with the marketing sub-group to advertise the space, not just in terms of square footage but with solid reasons why this would make a great investment for someone coming to Fleet.

Alec Saville-Brown expressed an interest in moving this sub-group forward.

4. Bids This sub-group would focus on investigating and obtaining grants for towns like Fleet. There were no volunteers to lead this sub-group from the meeting, but KW stated that people who could not attend this meeting had expressed an interest.

5. Other Business

Bob Schofield, Chairman of Fleet Town Council, provided an introduction to the work of the Town Council. He explained that the Town Council was entirely separate from Hart District Council. All of the Town Councillors were residents of Fleet and he hoped that they had demonstrated their ability and willingness over the 2 years in which the Town Council has been in existence to improve things; for example, the Christmas lights and floral displays. He stated that the Town Council was keen to work with and support groups such as FBP, including the provision of grants. He added that the Town Council was keen to bring in more events to the town, such as markets and other street events. Finally he stated that a new Clerk to the Town Council would be starting soon who had considerable experience in securing grants which the Town Council were also keen to exploit (such as the Portas funding).

6. Questions

A question was asked whether people could attend meetings, even if they were not formally part of a sub-group. This was confirmed.

A question was asked as to how FBP intended to co-ordinate the dissemination of information. KW responded that part of the process was the forms which people were being asked to complete this evening. If people wished to be involved with a sub-group then they should complete the tick boxes. An email had been circulated to all previous members of FBP asking them to subscribe if they remained interested in the group. Information would be disseminated using the website, social media and email contacts.

Various suggestions were put forward about marketing, the website and business directories. KW stated that those suggestions would all form part of the remit of the marketing sub-group.

Meeting closed approx 6:45

Informal discussions followed.